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Institutions opened without budget provisions with an eye on polls: CM

The previous BJP Government in the State had opened over 590 institutions during the fag end of its tenure without making any budgetary provision and without recruitment of required staff with a sole objective to woo the voters in the State. This was stated by the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while interacting with the media after he arrived at Shimla from New Delhi today.

The Chief Minister said that the former BJP Government during the last about six months of its tenure went on a spree to open health, education, revenue and other institutions in a desperate bid to befool the voters. He said that to make functional all these 590 institutions, an amount of about Rs. 3000 crore was required. He said that it was strange the State was reeling under the heavy financial debt trap of over Rs. 75,000 crore and the BJP Government who claimed to be the Government of double engine could not even get assistance of even a single penny from the Central Government during its tenure.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that over 30 health institutions had been opened by the previous BJP Government which did not have even class IV employees and a large number of institutions were opened with just a single employee. He said that it was strange that SDM offices were opened and no SDM was posted in these offices.

The Chief Minister said that in most of the institutions staff from adjoining institutions was temporarily deployed which was not only proving futile for the newly opened offices but also hampering the functioning of the already existing institution. He said that health institutions opened during this period were devoid of man and machinery and were simply an eye wash to befool the people. He said that the State Government would take up the whole issue with the people and apprise them about the misdeeds of the previous BJP Government. He said that the State Government has decided to wind up such institutions and all these would be reviewed and if found to be viable and required would be opened after making proper budget provision.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the present Government was for change of governance system and not to enjoy power. He said that the Government would ensure that institutions were opened as per demand and in the larger interest of the people of the State. He said that the arrest of accused in the JOA (IT) paper leak shows the paper scam going on in the State since the BJP Government tenure. He said that he has directed the police officers to be vigilant whenever such papers were conducted so as to ensure complete transparency and accountability.

The Chief Minister said that the Government was concerned about the issue related to cement plants in the State. He said that the whole issue was between Cement Plant management and Truck Operators Union and would be sorted out soon. He said that the people of the State would get cement at cheaper rates in the days to come.

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